Lancia LC2

Rédaction : Albert Lallement

Three seasons in group C for the Lancia LC2

In 1983 Lancia entered Group C, the new endurance category reserved for closed Sports-Prototypes. The Lancia LC2 was the first and only Italian car to compete in Group C.

In 1979, after 25 years absence from endurance racing, Lancia Corse returned to the track with the Beta Montecarlo Turbo. The return was a triumphant one, with the car winning the Group 5 (less than 2 litres) category of the World Sports-Prototype Championship for three consecutive seasons. In 1981, a major partnership was signed with sponsor Martini Racing, which immediately led to the launch of the Group 6 LC1 (for Lancia Corse), followed by the Group C LC2 the following year.

Before the introduction of Group C in Sports-Prototypes, Lancia built the LC1 in 1981, a Group 6 model which was later modified to become the LC2. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

When FISA's new Group C regulations were implemented for the 1982 World Sports-Prototype Championship season, the Lancia car to be entered was by no means a finished project. Fortunately, the sporting authorities tolerated the entry of the old Group 5 and 6 cars for one more season, in order not to overcrowd the grid with this sudden change. However, the teams competing in these categories could no longer score points in the constructors' championship and only for the drivers, the rankings at the end of the season were counted. Cesare Fiorio, Lancia's sporting director, used this clause in the sporting regulations by asking engineer Giampaolo Dallara to design a car that met the requirements that applied to the old categories.

For three seasons, from 1983 to 1985, the Lancia LC2 was one of the few competitors capable of fighting off the hegemony of the Porsche 956/962 in Group C. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

THE PREDECESSOR LC1

Fiorio's idea was to enter the Squadra Corse Lancia in Martini Racing colours in the Drivers‘ Championship in order to have a good chance of winning and to leave the Constructors’ title to Porsche, which had a substantial lead with its Group C 956. The company Dallara Automobili da Competizione, which had previously been involved in the design of the Stratos rally car and the previous Beta Montecarlo Turbo, developed an alloy chassis.

This open-body car was carefully studied in Turin in the Fiat Research Centre's wind tunnel. This chassis would form the basis of the LC1, retroactively named after the launch of the future LC2. The Lancia LC1 used the 4-cylinder, 1425.8 cm3 inline 4-cylinder engine from the Group 5 Beta Montecarlo, but in a 90° inclined longitudinal position. This engine delivered 460 bhp at 8,500 rpm and was mated to a Hewland TG 300 gearbox from F1.

Weighing 640 kg, the Lancia LC2 had a clear advantage over its main rival, Porsche, which was 200 kg heavier. The car was agile and its F1-inspired bodywork with ground effect gave it an advantage the FISA was not exactly sympathetic to... But against all odds, despite its perfect design, the car had a distinct lack of endurance. Of the 17 races it participated in, it finished only 7, even though Riccardo Patrese had the pleasure of 3 wins and the 2nd place in the famous Drivers' Championship.

The Lancia LC2 regularly competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, pictured here the car driven by Paolo Barilla, Hans Heyer and Mauro Baldi in 1984, which retired in the 20th hour.  © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © © Lancia D.R.

A DALLARA CHASSIS

Cesare Fiorio had learned lessons from the 1982 season and decided to start from scratch with the new Lancia LC2 running in Group C. He again entrusted the chassis design to Dallara, this time with the support of Abarth, another long-time Squadra Corse collaborator. The monocoque chassis, consisting of lightweight aluminium panels, was clad in a new bodywork of Kevlar and carbon fibre. To meet Group C's strict fuel consumption standards, a new engine had to be sourced and Ferrari was called to the rescue with the 308 GTBi ‘Quatra Valvole’ 3-litre V8, fitted with a KKK twin turbocharger.

Power, which was 650 hp in racing with the fuel consumption restrictions imposed, exceeded 800 hp during tests where fuel consumption was not subject to restrictions. Until late 1984, a Hewland VG200 gearbox was used, which was later replaced by an Abarth crankcase gearbox with Hewland gears. Besides tyres, the gearbox was one of the Lancia LC2's weak points during its three seasons of competing in the world championship (plus two races at the beginning of 1986). The car won only 3 races before it was withdrawn, after which Lancia was able to concentrate on its rallying activities with the Rally 037. Although the Lancia LC2's results were not always optimal, it was to the car's credit that it took on the invincible Porsche armada, and did so with panache!

Although the V8 powering the Lancia LC2 was prepared by Ferrari's racing department, Enzo Ferrari demanded its name not be mentioned. © IXO Collections SAS - Tous droits réservés. Crédits photo © Lancia D.R.

Technical data

Lancia LC2 de Groupe C (1985)

• Engine: Ferrari Type 308C, 8-cylinder 90° V-twin, longitudinal centre rear

• Displacement: 3,014 cm3

• Bore x stroke: 84 mm x 68 mm

• Power: 680 bhp at 8,800 rpm

• Fuel: Magnetti-Marelli mechanical fuel injection, 2 KKK turbos

• Ignition: Magnetti-Marelli electronic management system

• Timing: 2 overhead camshafts per bank, 4 valves per cylinder

• Drivetrain: rear wheel drive, Hewland/ Abarth 5-speed gearbox + M.A.

• Tyres: Michelin 280/600 x 16 (front) and 350/650 x 16 (rear)

• Brakes: Brembo ventilated discs (front and rear)

• Length: 4800 mm

• Width: 1800 mm

• Height: 1065 mm

• Wheelbase: 2665 mm

• Front track: 1586 mm

• Rear track: 1564 mm

• Weight (unladen): 850 kg

• Maximum speed: 398 km/h (Le Mans 24 Hours 1985)

Martini Racing

Martini Racing brings together the various competition partnerships (rally, endurance, Formula 1 and Off-Shore) of the Martini & Rossi aperitif producer. The famous Italian brand, based in Turin, was one of the first to take up sponsorship of motor racing in the late 1960s, when tobacco company Gold-Leaf sponsored Lotus cars in F1 and F2. For Martini Racing, this type of advertising began in 1968 with the factory Porsches entered in endurance racing, which quickly became recognisable with their emblematic livery of dark blue, light blue and red stripes on a white or silver background. In 1981, Martini Racing signed a partnership with Lancia for its World Sports Car Championship programme. The following year, the agreement was extended to rallying with the Lancia 037 entered in the World Championship. The agreement was renewed for a decade, culminating in the Delta HF Integrale in 1992. In endurance racing, Martini Racing sponsorship was occasionally accompanied by the national cigarette brand MS (Messis Summa) on the bodywork of the Lancia LC2.